In my review of the Hasselblad X1D system I seek to answer a seemingly simple question, which is actually quite complicated: is the imaging pipeline of the Hasselblad X1D at its base ISO of 100 superior to the Nikon D810 at its base ISO of 64?

Includes includes images up to full resolution and several large crops, RawDigger histograms for the full scale and for dark tones, and Adobe Camera Raw settings along with comments on the processing required.

This is an in-depth discussion with some findings that I’m sure any Nikon D810 and/or Hasseblad X1D shooter will find thought provoking. Perhaps more thought provoking: what if Nikon can deliver a near-50-megapixel D820 with per-pixel quality matching or exceeding the Nikon D810? Could be an exciting year.